


Of Skulls and Treasures

by orphan_account



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/F, Humanstuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-31
Updated: 2012-12-31
Packaged: 2017-11-23 01:36:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/616614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Your name is Aradia Megido and you are looking for the crystal skull. You did not expect to find the beautiful Jade Harley.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Skulls and Treasures

**Author's Note:**

  * For [livethekind](https://archiveofourown.org/users/livethekind/gifts).



Your name is Aradia Megido and you are the leading expert of paleontology in the world. The only person who might be considered better than you at finding civilzations and various other things inside the earth was your Grandmother, god rest her soul. She was the one who gave you your first shovel, taught you how to shoot your first gun, and even helped you find your first treasure. Grandma said the old trunk was useless, but still an exciting find for a young lady around your age. You’re sure that the trunk was some sort of lost ark containing thousands of secrets. But whatever was actually in the trunk doesn’t matter. Your appetite for adventure was wet, and you’ve spent your life perfecting the search for knowledge under the earth’s core.

Today, you hope to solidify your reputation as the leading expert on the nation of Akator by discovering the key to their religious beliefs. A crystal skull. Whoever finds the skull and returns it to the city from whence it came will be entrusted all the knowledge of the Akator’s culture and religious secrets. Being one who fancies the occult, this is the mission you’ve been waiting for.

You, and your aid Sollux, have traveled to this remote island to look for clues. Well, clues is stretching the meaning of your visit a little far. You’re following up on a tip of where the skull is. You tracked the item down to Professor Harley’s house here, on an island in the Pacific ocean. Harley is nototrious for being both fond of guns and fond of skulls, so you doubt that he has let a skull of this notoriety out of his possession. 

Once you find it, however, you worry that he might not let you take the skull.

When you finally make it to the door you are struck by the extravagance of the house. It has towers, an observatory, and rests over miles of island land. You should have been expecting this when you hear Professor Harley had moved to an island by himself, but you were not prepared for the beauty of the house he called his home. You were even less prepared for the beautiful creature that answered the door.

She shouldn’t have been anything special. You knew many women more classically beautiful than she; Kanaya with her hourglass figure and shapely lips, Vriska with her roman nose and chin, Nepeta with her large eyes and bright smile, but this girl had something different about her. She had wild black hair that didn’t look brushed in weeks. Her eyes were piercing green, almost feline, peering out from behind round glasses. She wore a plain white shirt and a short kaki skirt that accented her dark skin. She reminded you of a lion, wild and beautiful.

“Can I help you?” she asked in a manner that surprised you. For she was always alone on this island, yet did not seem the least bit perplexed that another human being was here with her as well.

“Erm,” you are struck tongue-tied by her confidence and hesitate briefly. The woman smiles at you, as though to relax you, this only leads to an increase of your pulse and further issues with your speech.

You gather your wits about you before starting again, “Yes, we’re looking for Professor Harley. My name is Aradia Megido and I am tracking down the crystald skull.”

The woman before you grins and sticks out her hand. “Oh! Were you a fan? My grandpa sure made a name for himself among other eccentric collectors what with his skulls and guns. I’m afraid he’s out exploring at the moment. My name is Jade.”

“Jade,” you repeat back to her, running her name over your tongue and around your mouth. It sounds right for her, something beautiful yet strong, like the lean muscles that you can make out in her arm. Not that you’re staring of course. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“I’m sorry,” she says, “I’ve been chatting all this time making you stand out here in the hot sun.” She casts a glance over at your aid who is drooping in the direct light. “I know the heat can be a little difficult for some people. Come in and take a look around.”

You know that you would follow her to the ends of the earth and back. She is everything you could ever want, almost more that the skull, and you have to remind yourself that she is not the treasure that you seek. There is no time to be derailed from your expediditon.

“We would love to!”

Well, a short stop for a glass of water and conversation will be all right.

She shows you down to the area where Professor Harley keeps his collection. Sollux has decided to remain upstairs. He has been seduced by the cool water, soft couches, and Jade’s dog who has been sitting at his feet since you entered the home. The skull will still be there when the Professor comes back, he tells you, I’d rather save my energy for a different adventure. This gives you time alone with the beautiful Miss Harley, so you do not object.

She tells you the history of all the objects. The holy grail pulled from the clutches of a near death experience. Various artifacts saved from places with creative names like the Temple of Doom. And the crystal skull holds a special place in the display.

Jade tells you that her grandfather brought it back from an adventure after his retirement.

“He was supposed to give up! He promised he’d been on his last crusade. But Grandpa never really stopped adventuring. He brought this home for me as an apology though. He said it contained more secrets than any human should be privy to.”

“Did you learn them?” you ask, honestly not caring whether she told you are not. Calculating how much it would take to kiss those lips.

“Oh no!” she laughs. “I only go on adventures with Bec around the island. Mountain climbing and hunting is more our thing.”

“I could take you with me, if you want,” you say, “On an adventure.”

“I was hoping you’d ask,” she says. “But only if it counts as our first date.”

Sollux doesn’t ask you why you’re blushing when you come up the stairs. He does, however, raise an eyebrow when you tell him Jade’s coming too. But her smile erases your embarrassment.


End file.
